What happens when the electrons are moving? Redox Reactions What happens when the electrons are moving?
6 Types of Chemical Reactions All chemical reactions can be described in terms of something moving. The 6 Types of reactions are classified as follows: Movement of Electrons: Addition Decomposition Single Displacement Combustion Movement of Ions: Double Displacement Movement of Protons: Acid-Base
Moving Electrons In these reactions, one or more electrons move from one atom to another, allowing those atoms to act differently than in their original compounds. Examples: SYNTHESIS: Mg + Br2 MgBr2 DECOMPOSITION: NaCl Na + Cl2 SINGLE REPLACEMENT: Zn + CuSO4 Cu + ZnSO4
This first example should make sense because this is simply the creation of an ionic bond, from the transfer of electrons: Mg + Br2 MgBr2
The second example is just the opposite, breaking down an ionic bond. 2NaCl 2Na + Cl2
Remember CuSO4 is an ionic compound, so it really is made of Cu+2 and SO4-2, while Zn is starting off neutral in the reactants During this reaction, Zn transfers its electrons to Cu+2, turning the metals into a Zn+2 ion and a neutral Cu atom. Now that Zn+2 has a charge, it will form the ionic compound with SO4-2 because of opposite charges. Zn + CuSO4 Cu + ZnSO4
In this case, did the sulfate ion see an change of electrons? No, so these electrons were not involved in the reaction and weren’t shown, but remember sulfate has 2 extra electrons to make its structure stable (the -2 charge)
Reduction and Oxidation In these reactions, one atom or element is reduced and the other is oxidized These are called Redox reactions A substance that is reduced has gained electrons (it is reduced in charge) A substance that is oxidized has lost electrons
Way to Remember Losing Electrons is Oxidation, Gaining Reduction LEOGER or LEO the lion says GER Losing Electrons is Oxidation, Gaining Reduction
And now, the tricky part… A substance that has been oxidized is called a reducing AGENT because it caused the other substance to take their electrons A substance that has been reduced is called an oxidizing AGENT because it caused the other substance to give up its own electrons
Br starts with 0 charge and ends with -1 The charge has gone down, because Br has gained electrons. Mg starts with 0 charge and ends with +2 The charge has gone up, because Mg has lost electrons. This means Br has been ______ and is the _______ agent. This means Mg has been ______ and is the _______ agent.
Na starts with a +1 charge, ends with 0 charge Charge has gone down because it gained electrons Cl starts with a -1 charge, ends with 0 charge Charge has gone up because it lost electrons This means Na has been _______ and is the ______ agent. This means Cl has been ______ and is the _______ agent.
Zn started with 0 charge, ended with +2 Charge has gone up because it lost electrons Cu started with +2 charge, ended with 0 Charge has gone down because it gained electrons SO4 started and ended with -2, no electrons changed here Zn has been _________ and is the _________ agent Cu has been _________ and is the _________ agent So… what about the SO4-2?